A program that works to connect Boston's young people with summer jobs in their community, all while earning them a paycheck, has expanded and is now open for applications.
ABCD's SummerWorks runs from June 26 through August 25, and allows young people ages 14 through 21 to earn over $2,000 over the summer.
Thanks to a combination of existing and new sponsors and supporters, the program has been able to increase capacity, and can offer summer job placement for 1,700 young people who face a lack of resources.
“We are thankful to Mayor Michelle Wu and her team at the Office of Workforce Development, Commonwealth Corporation, worksite partners and corporate partners like State Street and Bank of America for their commitment to Boston youth and for their belief in SummerWorks,” ABCD President and CEO Sharon Scott-Chandler wrote in a news release. “For over 55 years, SummerWorks has set a foundation for Boston youth and played a role in producing the next generation of leaders."
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To make the program happen, ABCD partners with worksites that include more than 150 nonprofit and mission-driven organizations within the city. The program gives participants the opportunity to work at health centers, day camps, government agencies, childcare and community centers.
The program seeks to connect underserved, local young people with meaningful work in their neighborhood, which helps participants get work experience and provides local organizations with more help.
In March, NBC10 Boston got a firsthand look at the WorkSMART program, which is the SummerWorks equivalent that runs during the school year.
The Institute for Pan African Cultural Education said at that time the program was a major help because it allowed the organization to hire interns, free of charge.
"To have a cohort of young people that move with the energy that the kids that are younger than them need," Chance said. "That's why they're engaged, encouraged, and later on empowered."
A job fair for SummerWorks will be held on May 22 at Roxbury Community College.
